Cigar cutter and cleaner.



H. SAUL & R. N. EVANS. CIGAR CUTTER AND CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED 001'a 1908 Patented May 4, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses Inventors:

a 6 m a IVIH W 4 m w w H. SAUL & R. N. EVANS. GIGAR CUTTER AND GLEANER.

APPLIUATION FILED OCT. 8, 1908. Patented 4, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED V PATENT err-iron.

HENRY SAUL, OF NORTH BEACH, AND ROBERT N. EVANS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CIGAR CUTTER AND CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed October 8, 1908. Serial No. 456,705.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY SAUL, a citizen of the United States,residing at North Beach, in the county of Queens and State of New York,and ROBERT N. Evans, a citizen of the United States, residing atBrooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Cigar Cutters and Cleaners, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for auto matically cutting Off thetip of a cigar and at the same time blows through the cigar to removethe dust and dirt.

The object of the invention is to provide a device that will sever thetip of a cigar, and that immediately thereafter will cause a blast ofair to be delivered into the cut cigar that will pass through the cigarand remove any dust or dirt that may be contained therein whichmechanism is controlled by, or directly operative from a singleactuating member, such as frequently used in cigar tip cutting devices,Which member in some instances itself severs the cigar tip, while inother devices the movable member releases the mechanism in which poweris stored, and causes the actuation of a cutting member.

In the accompanying drawings representing embodiments of our invention,Figure 1 is a side elevation, certain parts being broken away. Fig. 2 isa side elevation certain parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation from the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, certain partsbeing shown in section and broken away. Figs 18 show the modification.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, in a suitable framemember F is a circular aperture 12 preferably formed conical and of asize to receive the tip end of a cigar for a sufficient distance topermit the length desired to be cut off, to project through the opening.A. movable cutter member is provided that will pass across this opening,and cooperate with one side thereof to sever the cigar tip projectingtherethrough. In these figures, the movable cutter member comprises ablade 13 having a curved recess 14 along one side, that is preferablyinclined or conical shape at the edge to form a cutting member. Thisblade is movably supported to shift past the opening, being preferablypivoted on a pin or screw 15, to swing thereon and cause its cutterportion to register with and move across the stationary cutter portion12. The blade 13 has an arm 16 that engages a cam face 17 on a plunger18 that is guided in brackets 19 and 20 on the frame for reciprocation.When the plunger is depressed from its normal position shown in Fig. 1,the cam face will engage the arm and swing the blade 13 causing it tomove across the cutter opening 12 and sever the tip of a cigar insertedin the opening. Suitable means are provided for returning the cutter tonormal position such as a coil spring 2 1, that will press the arm 16into engagement with the plunger member; but the blade is prevented fromreturning as long as the plunger is depressed, as indicated in Fig. 3but upon return of the lunger to normal position, the arm will be forcedinto the recess at the cam portion and return to normal position,ermitting the insertion of another cigar encli Means are provided forfurnishing a blast of air, in the form of a fluid pressure device. Inthese figures, the latter comprises a cylinder 29 in which slides apiston 22, that is engaged by a bent arm 23 secured to the plunger 18. Acoil spring 24 in the cylinder below the piston serves to return thepiston after being advanced by the plunger, and will return the plungerto its normal position as shown in Fig. 2. Suitable means are providedfor directing the air from the lower end of the cylinder onto thesevered end of the cigar in the cutter opening 12 in the frame, afterthe tip has been severed. In the construction shown in these figures theblade 13 contains an aperture 25 that will register with the cutteropening 12 upon further advance of the blade after severing of the tip,as indicated in Fig. 3. A collar 26 projects from this opening in theblade, and a flexible conduit or tube 27 extends from the outlet 23 atthe bottom of the piston, and connects to this collar 26. Preferablysome slack is provided in this tube to permit the free swinging of theblade.

The operation of the device is as follows: The parts being in theposition indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, a cigar C is inserted in theopening as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2, with the end projectingthrough the opening 12. Upon forcing down the plunger 19 the cutterportion of the blade will at once engage the cigar tip and cooperatingwith will cut the cutter opening 12 in the frame,

oil the tip as the blade forces across the 0 ening. The continuedmovement of the b ade will bring the opening 25 to register with thecutter opening 12 in which position the end of the arm 16 will bearagainst the side edge of the plunger as indicated in Fig. 3. But theentire movement of the plunger will force the piston 22 downward andcompress the air in the cylinder. "As soon as the opening 25 is broughtopposite the now severed cigar, the air in the cylinder will be directedagainst the cigar end just cut, and it will be forced through the cigar,that will drive out at the other end, any dust or line particlescontained in the cigar. Upon release of the plunger, the coil spring 24in the cylinderwill return the plunger to its normal position; and thespring 20 will draw the blade back to its normal position as soon as thecam opening in the plunger comes opposite the arm 16 of the blade.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 48, our cigar cleaner attachment isapplied to a construction where power is stored in a large spring andthe application of the cigar will release a trip and permit theautomatic operation of the cutter member to sever the tip without thepower for operating the cutter being furnished by the person who ishaving the cigar cut. This mechanism comprises essentially a receptacle3Q in which is a coil spring 31 driving a wheel 32 carrying two cutters33 and 34. Below an opening 35 in the top is a lever 36 having a cutteropening 37. The cigar is inserted and pressed to swing the leverdownward. An extension 54 on the lever carries a swinging arm 38. A triparm 39 has a lug 40 normally in position to engage one of a pair of cams41 on the Wheel. This trip arm 39 normally lies near a lug 42 on theswinging arm 38, and when the latter is moved downward by the cigarswinging lever 36, the trip arm 39 moves away from the cam 41 andpermits rotation of the wheel the spring having been previously woundup. This will cause one of the cutters 33 to shift past the projectingend of the cigar in the lever 36 that has been moved downward into thepath of the cutter on the Wheel and the tip is severed. But as soon asthe wheel starts to move, a second cam 43 adjacent the cam 41 strikes alug 44 on the swinging arm 38 and will shift the lug 42 away fromengagement with the trip arm 39, thereby releasing the latter and thetrip arm will be moved upward by a spring 45 to engage an oppositelyarranged cam on the wheel and arrest the wheel after a half revolution.Thus each time a cigar is inserted and the lever 36 depressed one of thetwo cutters will shift past the opening in the lever and sever the tip.The construction just described forms no part of the present invention,but to cause a blast of air to be delivered on the cut end of the cigar,we provide a suitable pressure device such as a i pair, of bellows 46,that are operated by cams 47 and 48 fast on the drum, and positionedrelatively to the two knives so that the bellows will be operated ateach severing operation. A flexible tube 55 leads from the bel lows to aswinging bracket 49 carrying a discharge plate 50. This bracket isshifted as soonas the tip is cut, by a cam 51 engaging an arm 52 on thebracket. A spring 53 returns the bracket to normal position. .Vhen thecigar is inserted and the lever 36 pressed downward the wheel isreleased and given a half revolution as just described. As soon as thecutter passes the lever, the discharge plate 50 is brought adjacent thelever opening, and at this time one of the cams 47 or 48 will cause ablast of air to be forced through the flexible tube and against the cutend of the cigar. This will serve to force out of the cigar any dust orsmall particles contained therein.

In Fig. 2 is shown a modification whereby the pressure device is notactuated by the plunger but separately. The tube 27 may be bent upwardas at 61 and secured to a bulb 60. By pressing this bulb after the cigaris cut a blast of air will be directed onto the cigar.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. The combination with a tip cutting device, of a fluid pressuredevice, means for directing air from the fluid pressure device at thecutting device, and means operatively connected with the cutting devicefor causing a blast of air to be delivered at the cutting member.

2. The combination with a cutting device for severing a cigar tip, of afluid pressure device, means for directing air from the fluid pressuredevice at the cutting device, and means for causing the cutting deviceto operate the fluid pressure device to deliver a blast of airimmediately after the severing of the cigar tip by the cutting device.

3. The combination of a cutting device for severing a cigar tip, a fluidpressure device, means operatively connecting the cutting de vice withthe fluid pressure device, and a movable delivery member leading fromthe fluid pressure device and connected with the cutting device todirect a blast of air at the cutting position immediately after thecutting operation.

4. The combination of a frame having a cutter portion, a cutter movablerelative to the said cutter portion to sever a cigar tip, a fluidpressure device operatively connected with the movable cutter member, ashiftable conduit leading from the pressure device and connectedwith themovable cutter member, whereby the conduit will discharge at the saidcutter portion of the frame after the I severing of the cigar tip by thecutter mem ber.

5 The combination of a frame having a cutter opening therein, a bladepivoted on the frame and having a cutter portion at one edge arranged toregister with the opening as the blade is swung to sever a cigar tip atthe opening, a cylinder, a piston operating in the cylinder, a plungerarranged to operate the piston, the blade having an arm engaged by thepiston to swing the blade, a conduit leading from the cylinder andhaving its other end connected with the blade member to be brought toregister with the cutter opening in the frame upon advance of the cuttermember.

6. The combination of a frame member having a cutter opening therein, ablade pivoted to the frame and having a cutter portion at one edgearranged to register with the cutter opening when the blade is swung, apressure device, a plunger arranged to oper ate the ressure device, anarm on the blade arranger to engage the plunger to swing the blade, anda conduit leading from the pressure device and connected with the bladeto be brought to register with the cutter opening in the frame after thetip has been severed.

l l l l l l l l l 1 l l l l, l l l l l 7. The combination of a :l'ramehaving a cutter opening therein, a blade pivoted on the frame and havinga cutter portion at one edge arranged to register with the cutteropening when the blade is swung, a plunger having a cam portion, an armon the blade arranged to engage the cam portion ol' the plunger to swingthe blade past the cutter opening, a spring for returning the blade tonormal position, a cylinder, a piston working in the cylinder andoperated by the plunger i reinber, the blade having an opening thereinarranged to register with the said cutter opening alter the tip issevered and a 'llexible pipe leading from the cylinder and connectedwith the opening in the blade, and a spring in the cylinder forreturning the piston and plunger to normal position.

HENRY SAUL. ROBERT N. EVANS.

Witnesses W M. H. REID, HENRY E. GREENWOOD.

